


Geoglyph

by fenrislorsrai



Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Aziraphale and Crowley Have Their Picnic (Good Omens), Aziraphale and Crowley Through The Ages (Good Omens), Communication, Fortune Telling, Games, Gen, Getting Together, Pining, Post-Canon, Snakes, The Ineffable Plan (Good Omens), hand holding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-05
Updated: 2020-12-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:22:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27882201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fenrislorsrai/pseuds/fenrislorsrai
Summary: Playing a game is a perfect excuse to meet and talk in public.Now they don't need an excuse, but they may need the familiarity of an old game to get them talking about their new circumstances
Relationships: Aziraphale & Crowley (Good Omens), Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)
Comments: 13
Kudos: 19
Collections: SOSH - Guess the Author #9 "Game"





	Geoglyph

**Author's Note:**

  * For [EmAndFandems](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmAndFandems/gifts).



> For Soft Omens Snuggle House Guess the author prompt "GAME". Author reveals on Tuesday! Author will not respond to comments before then, but does appreciate them.

They pick it up from humans as a way to sit and talk without drawing attention. Socialising seems to be the point of games _._ There _is_ an element of competition, but mostly it’s an excuse to talk. A ritualized combat where if they were unhappy with the outcome they start over with just saying “Another?” 

It started simple. A spiral with landing spaces along it, leading to a center point. A few sticks quickly marked for throwing. Travel around the spiral and then run back out. The spiral becomes a serpent. The center becomes a tree. Sometimes the serpent is drawn smiling. Sometimes with fangs bared. It depends on what they are talking about. 

Somewhere along the way the game picked up a third piece, one that chased them back out once they touched the Tree and could destroy them if the throws went against them. Every throw for the pursuer is done as if it was answering part of the question just asked of their companion. Sometimes neither wins now. Sometimes they lose game after game, no matter how many times they ask “Another?” 

Sometimes the pattern was cut into the earth, darker wounds upon the paler surface. Sometimes it was laid out with beautiful colored sand, building up from the earth below. But every time they wipe it away. No sign that two people met and talked. The throwing sticks are splintered to nothing. The serpent is ground into the dust again and again. 

* * *

They are no longer on opposite sides. They have gone for a day in the countryside. Spread out a blanket and brought a picnic. 

Old habits are hard to break. Is anyone watching? There is no one but some bored sheep. 

They brush hands. They pull apart. This is all new. Frightening in its unfamiliarity. 

“A game, perhaps?” 

Crowley nods nervously and casts about to find a few sticks and stones to use as pieces. Aziraphale sketches out a serpent in the earth. Two marks imply sunglasses. 

“Really?” Aziraphale smiles that bastard smile and wiggles. 

Crowley hands him his pile of stones for playing pieces. He offers his hand full of marked sticks to the angel. Crowley always moves first. “For luck.” 

Aziraphale starts to blow on them, as he has many times. But pauses and looks up at Crowley’s face that is settling into too-familiar lines. They have played this game so many times. 

“We could make our own luck now.” He scoops the sticks out of Crowley’s hand as the serpent’s mouth falls open in surprise. Tosses them in his hand and then hurls them off into the field, to fall to earth unseen. 

“No rules?” Crowley’s voice is fragile. 

“Some. For both of us. Do you want to talk about them?” He offers his hand. 

They lay down and talk, hand in hand. ‘Til the stars come out. 

* * *

They leave the serpent mark behind, showing where they talked. Visible to above and below until the earth claims it. 

**Author's Note:**

> They are likely playing their own version of Mehen which is played on a serpent shaped board but the rules to that have been lost to time. Mehen PROBABLY had similar rules to Hyena Chase which is done on a similar spiral pattern and includes the being chased back down the path away that I used here.
> 
> Geoglyphs are generally a lot larger, but for them, the significance is huge.


End file.
